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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25599271">The Once-lers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmolBean9/pseuds/SmolBean9'>SmolBean9</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hetalia: Axis Powers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Cursed, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Lorax, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Romance, and back to lovers again, and then lovers to enemies, ill add more tags as I update</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:28:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,006</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25599271</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmolBean9/pseuds/SmolBean9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A FrUk Once-ler AU. Francis and Arthur were business partners who destroyed the environment for money and fame. When all the Truffula trees have been cut down, Francis proposes they capitalize on the smoggy landscape and sell air to people. Arthur refuses, and cuts Francis off. He leaves to isolate himself in his home outside the walls of Thneedville, while Francis continues to pollute the environment and get richer and richer selling clean air to people. Also, Alfred accidentally starts to fix things in his quest to impress his cute neighbor, Ivan.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>America/Russia (Hetalia), England/France (Hetalia)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1: The Once-ler</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was Beta'd by my lovely girlfriend, xX_Potato_Xx. <br/>If you find any spelling or grammar errors, please let me know in the comments! Any and all feedback is welcome!<br/>Enjoy this immensely cursed AU. I will add more chapters soon, hopefully.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Arthur let out a heavy sigh as he surveyed the outside world through the gaps between his boarded up windows. The landscape was gray and desolate, the earth dry and cracked from years without water. The rivers and streams that used to flow freely through the land had long since become hostile to life. The waters now ran murky brown and green, tainted by pollution. With air too thick to breathe, the sky was eternally dark, covered by ashen clouds and smog. The world around him was gray and unlivable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, to Arthur, the worst part of the landscape was not the monotonous colors, or smoggy air, but rather, the thousands of tree stumps that littered the hills before him. They were a constant reminder of his mistakes, of what he had done to the once luscious land. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unable to look at the bleak scenery anymore, Arthur tore his eyes away from the window, and stepped back further into his home. The house was dark, the only light coming from lanterns and small slivers seeping through the cracks in the boards over his windows. The place was coated in dust, and in desperate need of repairs in some rooms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the decrepit state of his home, Arthur could never find the motivation to fix it. He would simply ignore the dust and rotting wood. Anyways, he probably deserved to live in such a house after all he had done. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All those years ago, he had destroyed the world around him, turned it into the smoggy, unlivable hellscape it was today. He took from the land until it had no more to give, and then took a little more. He had chased out the creatures of the land, had tainted their once beautiful home. The sounds of birdsong had disappeared, leaving only the grim caws of scavenger birds in their place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, Arthur held onto the hope that perhaps one day the land would return to what it was before. Each day when he gazed out at the ruined landscape, he held the hope that maybe one day, the damage he had done would be reversed. For atop his fireplace mantle, there was a small box. And inside that small box was a single, tiny seed. Arthur held the last remaining Truffula seed, and with it was the power to better the world. He didn’t want to risk planting it on the outskirts of Thneedville, the ground was too unforgiving, and the air too thick to sustain much life. So, he simply held on to the small seed. Hoping that one day, someone who cared would come along and use it to make the world better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked into the tiny kitchen and set his dented kettle to boil on the stove. While he waited for the water to heat up, he grabbed two bags of English breakfast tea from the cupboard, and set it in his green teapot. He had always favored his green and blue tea set over the others. The vibrant colors were reminiscent of a better time. Once the kettle began to whistle, he poured the water into the pot, and left it to set for a few minutes while he dug around in his pantry for honey. Once the tea had steeped long enough, he added a spoonful of honey into it, adding just a little bit of sweetness. Making morning tea was a comforting routine, the same hot tea everyday. In a way, the daily ritual kept him grounded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held the cup lightly between his hands, reveling in the warmth for a few moments before taking a small sip. Leaving the kitchen, he turned off the lantern that had been illuminating the room. Over the years Arthur had isolated himself in this house, he had come to enjoy the darkness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked into the parlor, and set his tea down, before settling himself into one of the old armchairs. He picked up the embroidery hoop and needle on the table next to him and began to work, only stopping to take sips from his tea. However, as much as he tried to focus on needlework before him, his mind kept drifting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His thoughts wandered back to when he was young, when he had set out into the world, determined to make a name for himself. His eyes kept drifting up to the numerous old photos and mementos haphazardly attached to the wall. The old memories on display before him definitely weren't helping his concentration. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gazed upon the photographs and newspaper clippings framed on the wall, each one a souvenir of better times. Arthur smiled softly as he looked at them, allowing himself to reminisce for a few moments. However, his face suddenly soured when he inevitably scanned over a photo with Francis in it. He quickly looked back down to his embroidery, his mood ruined. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should really get around to taking those stupid photos down,” He muttered to himself, stabbing at the cream toned fabric before him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For years Arthur had told himself he would remove the photos, finally remove every piece of Francis from his life. That frog certainly didn’t deserve to occupy any more of Arthur's time than he already had. And yet, Arthur could never bring himself to do it. To remove and destroy the last vestiges of his old friend. There was a part of him that would never completely let Francis go. That man had been his business partner and best friend for a large portion of his life. They had formed a deep connection, and Francis O’Hare would always have a place in Arthur’s mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arthur could remember the day they met crystal clear, and he would probably never forget. He had just left his home to make a name for himself, and to make his family proud of him. He had been wandering the land for days, looking for anything to give him what he needed to succeed. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Arthur gazed out at the grassy hills, watching them pass by as he continued down the dirt road. His eyes scanned the landscape for something to make his thneed out of. He had carefully engineered the long tangle of fabric to have multiple uses, to be the next big thing. He just needed to find the perfect material for his perfect invention. Soon, he would find something of interest, he just knew it. He had left his old life and family behind in search of glory and to make a name for himself, leaving with nothing but his mule and a wagon full of his personal belongings. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Arthur had been traveling for several days now, trekking down a long, winding, dirt road. He had made significant progress down the road today, and was thinking of stopping to make lunch. He had some canned beans and bread in the back of his wagon, so he could make some beans on toast. Hopefully he wouldn’t burn it this time. As he contemplated his next meal, he was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts by a high pitched scream coming from the road ahead. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>His eyes darted forward, and he caught sight of a green clad figure staring back at him. About to run the poor person over with his wagon, he jerked the reins back violently, his mule grunting before coming to an abrupt halt. Angry, he threw the reins down and clambered out of the wagon to confront the person. As he got out, he turned and stood face to face with the idiot who had been standing in the middle of the road. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was a man with long blonde hair dressed in simple green clothing, who also appeared to be rather angry. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Are you out of your mind? You almost hit me!” The man yelled at Arthur in a heavy french accent. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oi, this is your fault! You should have gotten off the bloody road! I wasn’t even going that fast!” Arthur threw his hands up in frustration. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You should have been looking where you were going!” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I could say the same to you!” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They bickered back and forth for a few minutes before Arthur finally crossed his arms and spoke, “What are you even doing out in the middle of nowhere?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The man huffed and ran his fingers through his hair. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m headed towards the closest town I can find, and then I’m going to make as much money as possible.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Arthur scoffed. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh yeah? And how exactly are you going to make that money? From what I see, you don’t have much to start with.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The other man grinned. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I have a persuasive voice. Give me a useless object, and I could convince half the world they needed it to survive. I’m sure I will find something,” He said, “Well then, what are you doing out here, other than hitting innocent people with your wagon?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Arthur huffed. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m looking for the perfect material to make my thneed out of. Then, I’ll mass produce and sell them. Start my own business, and become more successful than you ever could.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Thneed? What even is a thneed?” The man replied, slightly intrigued.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Arthur rolled his eyes in feigned exasperation, though inside he was rather excited to have someone show interest in his invention. His family had always brushed it off, saying it would never amount to anything. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Let me get the blueprint, I’ll show you.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He walked around to the back of the wagon, motioning for the other to follow him. Once he reached the back, he took a few moments to dig through the mess before finally turning back with a rolled up sheet of paper in hand. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Here it is,” He smiled slightly, and unrolled it for the other man to see. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The other spent a few moments looking at it, perplexed. He finally looked back up to Arthur, with a small smile on his face. “That… that is the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen. What is it even for?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well, it can be a hat, or a scarf, or a fashionable belt…” Arthur huffed as he pointed to different parts of the paper that showed the thneed’s use. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Ma cherie, I’m sorry, but that is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. How are you ever going to convince anyone to buy it?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Arthur scoffed and rolled the blueprint back up, tossing it back into the wagon.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well, I can just show people the many uses of the thneed. They’ll buy it, I’m sure.” He said, slightly taken aback. Truth be told, he hadn’t really thought of how he would market his thneed before. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The other man opened his mouth as if to say something, and then shut it. He appeared to think for a moment, before his eyes lit up and he looked to Arthur. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m certain I could market your thneed into a million dollar business. Be honest, you had no idea how to sell that thing to people. But if you offer me a portion of the profits, I can guarantee everyone will want a thneed!” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He grinned brightly at Arthur, who contemplated the idea for a moment. The other man was right. He had no idea how to sell products to other people. And besides, he supposed it wouldn’t kill him to have a little extra company on the journey. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Fine. I’ll take you with me. But you have to do all the marketing, and help me find the perfect material for my thneeds,” Arthur spoke sharply. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The other’s face lit up, and he held out his hand to shake. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Perfect. The name’s Francis O’Hare. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2: Thneedville</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alfred begins his quest to rebuild the ecosystem because he wants to impress Ivan.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Once again, Beta'd by the ever wonderful xX_Potato_Xx.<br/>If you find any spelling or grammar errors, please let me know in the comments! Any and all feedback is welcome!<br/>I hope you like this chapter, it's definitely more RusAme centered. I'll be updating this story as often as possible, and all the chapters should be around 2,000 words. :v</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Alfred tapped his pencil against the desk, staring off into space. He was supposed to be finishing up a history project, but it was the start of the weekend, and the project was just super boring. He sighed as he wrote down a few more words, before his attention began to wander. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes drifted to the large window on his left. Outside there were rows of tall houses, windows and doors placed haphazardly, all of them jammed together and fighting for space. A couple streets down, just barely visible from his window, was Ivan’s house. Alfred smiled softly as he gazed at the cream colored building, knowing Ivan was probably somewhere inside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivan and his sisters had moved to this side of Thneedville a couple years ago, to get a house with more space. Alfred's mom had forced him with her to bring their new neighbors a welcoming gift. It was then Alfred had first seen Ivan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had talked politely and awkwardly at first, until Alfred brought up the stargazing spot in town. Ivan, as it turned out, was also obsessed with the cosmos, and the conversation livened up as the two talked about their shared interest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, the only stars you could see in Thneedville were fake, projected onto the sky by a machine, but they were good enough. Over time, Alfred had felt the need to get closer with the soft spoken boy, to become better friends with him. So, fairly often, he would “accidentally” throw a football or model plane in their backyard, to have an excuse to ring their doorbell and talk to Ivan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every time he saw the other he would get butterflies and his heart rate would pick up. He couldn’t help it, Ivan was just so… pretty. His silky blond hair and soft violet eyes. The rare smile that made Alfred’s heart melt and his legs turned to jelly. Everything about the other was almost ethereal. Even his too-large nose managed to fit and look right on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he could lose himself in thoughts of gentle eyes and sweet smiles, he was yanked out of his daydream by a knocking on his bedroom door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alfie? Alfred, are you awake yet? Breakfast is ready!” A sugary sweet voice announced from behind the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred sighed, dropped his pen on the desk, and swiveled his chair to face the doorway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah mom, I’m awake.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door creaked open and his mother’s head poked through. She scanned over the room with piercing blue eyes, grinning when they landed on Alfred at his desk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Workin’ on homework already, kiddo? Geez, it’s Saturday morning for goodness sake! Shouldn’t you be out playing with friends?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred groaned and leaned further back into his chair, forcing it to balance on its back two wheels. “Mom, I’m not five years old anymore. I don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>play </span>
  </em>
  <span>with friends, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>hang out</span>
  </em>
  <span> with them,” He pouted and crossed his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother’s eyes softened a bit, and she sighed softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All right, whatever you say, kiddo. Anyways, I made pancakes for breakfast. You better get down there and get some before I eat them all myself.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grinned, a small twinkle in her eye, and began to leave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, and don’t lean back in your chair like that. You’ll fall and break your neck,” She warned before finally exiting and walking down the stairs, leaving his bedroom door slightly open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred stood up to go get food, taking a final look at his project. He really did not want to come back upstairs to work on it more after breakfast. After a moment, he decided he could just finish it tomorrow. It wasn’t like he completed much when he tried to work on it earlier this morning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he walked down the stairs, he contemplated his plans for the rest of the day. He could finish the boss level of his video game today, or maybe get Matthias and Gilbert to help him mess with passerbys in the town square. Of course, he could also find a way to talk to Ivan today. Alfred grinned as he hopped down the final step of the staircase, Ivans adorable smile flashing in his mind. Yeah, he was going to find a way to speak with Ivan today. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Alfred reached the kitchen, his mom was humming along to some tune on the radio while she cleaned up the kitchen from making breakfast. His grandma was already seated at the table, poking at her plate of pancakes. Alfred slid into his seat, a plate already set up for him at his spot. He grinned and began to shovel the pancakes into his mouth as quickly as possible, not even bothering to stop and savor the taste. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother looked over at him with a worried expression on her face. “Alfie. Hun. Slow down before you choke,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grandmother chuckled from across the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He gets that from you,” She pointed her fork at her daughter, before returning to her plate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother sighed and turned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom,” She said pointedly. “I do not eat like that. If anything, he gets it from you,” She grumbled, and turned back to finish wiping down the counter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred, now finished with his meal, stood up from the table abruptly, his chair squeaking against the wooden floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for the breakfast, mom,” He grinned at her as he set his plate in the sink. “I’ll be in my room,” He turned out of the kitchen, and walked back upstairs to his bedroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once inside, he shut the door behind him, and grabbed a small model plane off his desk. If he could get it to land in Ivan’s yard, he could get to talk to the other again. He blushed, and set the plane in the basket of his bicycle, and went to open the large window on the wall opposite his bed. Outside of the window was a set of winding stairs that led down to the street. Poor house planning for parents who didn’t want their kids to sneak out, but it had often worked in Alfred’s favor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hopped onto his bike and exited his room, speeding down the stairs and out onto the street. He rushed down the roads, weaving between winding houses and plastic lawns. Everything in the city was bright and colorful, made of fake hues and shiny materials. He wove down residential streets, waving to the O’Hare Air truck as he passed it. The air quality was so bad you couldn’t be in the open for more than a few hours at a time, but it was fine because the whole city had fresh air bottled and delivered to them. Mrs. Héderváry delivered the air, and would even help people set up the machines that distributed the fresh air in their home. She was nice, she always waved back to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, he reached Ivan’s street. He stopped his bike and leaned it against a lamppost before walking towards Ivan’s house. Alfred stood in front of the towering, cream colored house, and grinned. This was it. From the back compartment of his bicycle, he grabbed his small model plane and the remote that came with it. He tossed the plane into the air, and turned on the remote, playing with the buttons to gain control of the small red object in the air. After a few seconds, he hovered the tiny aircraft over the backyard of the house, and jerked the direction control stick down. The plane turned downwards sharply, before crashing into the yard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred grinned and pumped his fist in the air, before collecting himself and walking up to the door. He knocked on the tall, wooden door, before stepping back and straightening his spine to appear taller. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door creaked open, Ivan’s face appearing through the crack. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello?” Ivans eyes brightened when he recognized Alfred, and the door opened wider. “Ah, Alfred! What brings you here? Wait, let me guess. Your football fell into my yard again.” There was a small smile on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No, of course not dude,” Alfred ran his fingers through his hair and smiled sheepishly. “It’s a model plane this time.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivan laughed, his voice ringing through the air like bells. “Of course. Hey, do you want to see something cool?” Ivan looked at him with bright eyes, trying to hide a small smile with his scarf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred nodded. “Sure, dude,” He said, a goofy grin plastered across his face. He could never say no to Ivan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivan’s smile brightened a tad. “Follow me,” he said, and turned to walk through his house, leaving the door open for Alfred to follow. Alfred smiled and mentally gave himself a pat on the back, before jumping ahead to follow Ivan through his house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they reached the backyard, Ivan led him to the center of the yard, before pulling him down to sit on the hard, plastic ground.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you think?” Ivan asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice as he pointed up to the back wall of the house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred looked up, and for the first time in a while, he was at a loss for words. Painted across the building was colorful trees with wispy leaves spread across a vibrant green and blue landscape. The painting was mesmerizing, with vivid colors and a soft, natural look to it. It wasn’t completely finished, and yet it was still like a portal to a different, better, dimension. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred looked back to Ivan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow. It’s really pretty. Like, you did a really good job,” He grinned and tilted his head to the side. “What are they supposed to be, exactly?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivan smiled and looked over to Alfred. “They’re truffula trees. Real trees.” He gently traced his hand over the painting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They used to grow everywhere around here. They say the leaves were soft as silk, and they smelled like butterfly milk.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does that even mean?” Alfred looked at the swirling colors on the side of the building.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivan giggled softly. “I don’t know! But don’t you want to find out?” He looked back up to the half finished mural. “I would like to see a real tree, I think.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred chewed on his bottom lip, thinking for a moment. Ivan clearly cared about trees, real ones. It didn’t make any sense to Alfred. They had better trees manufactured in Thneedville, ones that didn’t make a mess or require dirt and water. But if Ivan thought real trees might have value, who was Alfred to argue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, hypothetically, were someone to find you a real tree-” Alfred started, before being cut off by Ivan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I would marry them immediately,” His soft violet eyes were still latched on the mural. “It is my dream to see a field full of real trees, like it used to be.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then looked over to Alfred, blushing slightly. “I probably sound crazy right now, da?” He laughed awkwardly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no, not crazy at all!” Alfred grinned. “Seeing a real tree would be pretty cool, dude,” He spoke to reassure his friend. Truth be told, he had never given real trees a second thought. But if he could make Ivan happy, real trees might be worth the mess they brought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ivan smiled slightly, turning his eyes back up to the wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am glad you think so too, Alfred.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the ride back home from Ivan’s house, all Alfred could think about was getting Ivan a real tree. He definitely didn't think he could just pick one up from the store, so he had to find one somewhere else. He supposed he could ask his grandmother. She had been around since the town was founded. If anyone in Thneedville knew where to get a real tree, it would be her.  At this point, he was set on finding a real truffula tree for his cute neighbor. Alfred was willing to go to great lengths just to gain Ivan’s favor, or at the very least, see his adorable, soft smile he tried to hide behind a scarf far too often. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! If you liked the story, please leave kudos, and leave any feedback you want in the comments!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3: The Outside</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter Beta'd by the beautiful xX_Potato_Xx.<br/>If you find any spelling or grammar errors, please let me know in the comments! Any and all feedback is appreciated!<br/>Once again, this chapter is a bit more focused on RusAme :&gt; I hope you guys like it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Alfred sighed, and stabbed at his food mindlessly. His mind was still on the events of the day, mulling over where to find a real tree, and once he had obtained it, how to care for it. He neglected the food on his plate as he thought, merely pushing it around with his fork. Usually Alfred would finish his dinner in a matter of minutes, then go and finish seconds just as quickly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother looked up at him from across the table and sighed. “Alfie. Eat your food, don’t just play with it. That goes for you too, mom.” She gave a pointed stare to his grandmother, who was also picking at her food instead of eating it. “Geez, what is up with y’all today?” She muttered under her breath, before returning to her own dinner plate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The atmosphere in the room was unusually tense, void of the chatter that usually filled it. Since he was little, Alfred always had something to say, even when his mouth was full. He had gotten in trouble more than once for it, but even so, he still managed to slip into the bad habit from time to time. Today, however, his mind was elsewhere, and the boy was unusually silent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The small family ate in silence for a while, before Alfred finally spoke. “So… Do either of you know where I could get a tree?” He set his fork down on the plate with a small, metallic, clank. “Like, a real tree. One that grows out of the ground and stuff.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother looked at him, confused. “A real tree? Why would you need one of those? It would grow out of the ground and do what? Drop leaves everywhere? Why would you want that?” She waved her hand in the air as she spoke. “Besides, we have the latest tree model! It comes with a remote and everything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pointed to the plastic tree set on their front yard, visible from the kitchen window, and began to fiddle with the tree’s remote, making it light up in various colors. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ooh! Look Alfie, it even has a disco mode!” She pressed a button on the small, plastic remote, and the tree began to flash between different colors rapidly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred slumped down on the table and huffed. Ivan didn’t want a plastic tree, he wanted a real one. A hunk of plastic and light up glass that took 96 batteries just wasn’t going to do it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As his mother continued to talk, his grandmother looked at him, thinking for a moment, before finally speaking. “So, you want a real tree, eh?” Alfred's head darted up, eyes glued to her. She smiled, knowing she had captured her grandson’s attention. “If you want one of those, you have to find The Once-ler,” She hummed, poking at her food with her fork. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother sighed and looked to his grandmother. “Mom, is this another one of your fairy tales? Because, we don’t really need Alfred believing one of your fables again, and doing something stupid-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother was abruptly cut off by his grandmother’s harsh voice, laced with sarcasm. “Of course. Everything I say is made up, and I’m a senile old woman who can’t even remember to put her teeth in before dinner,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom, you know that’s not what I meant-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, really. I think I left my teeth upstairs.” Granny looked to her daughter, through a facade of sweetness. “Would you be a dear and grab them for me?” She smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred’s mother sighed. “Sure, mom.” Her chair screeched against the tile floor as she left the table, and she began to walk out of the room. His grandmother watched her walk up the stairs for a few moments, waiting until she was out of earshot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She then turned to Alfred, smirked, and pulled her dentures out from her pocket. She popped them back into her mouth and turned to Alfred. “Alright, here’s the deal. The Once-ler knows what happened to all of the trees. If you want a real one, you’re going to have to find him,” His grandmother said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred sighed and put his fork down on his plate, looking at his grandmother with suspicion. “And the Once-ler is a real thing, right? Like, this is a real thing we’re talking about here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Granny grinned. “The Once-ler is real, alright. He used to run this town.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so, where can I find him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> His grandmother got up and flipped the lightswitch dramatically, dimming the lights of the living room. “He lives far outside of town, where grass no longer grows, and the wind smells stale and sour when it blows.” She moved her hands around as she spoke, the dim lighting of the room making her shadows longer and sharper. “And no birds ever sing, except for old crows,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Granny placed her hand on Alfred’s shoulder, causing him to squeak and jump in his seat. “Don’t do that!” He grumbled, but before he could turn to face her, his grandmother had already moved away, back to her seat at the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stood in front of the window, looking at Alfred. “That’s where you can find the Once-ler,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred paused for a moment before speaking. “Did… did you say the Once-ler lives outside the town walls?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grandmother nodded solemnly. “They say if you bring him fifteen cents, a nail, and the shell of a great-great-grandfather snail, he will tell you everything,”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later that night, after both his mother and Granny had gone to bed, Alfred was still awake. Tonight, he would go and find the Once-ler. Or, more importantly, he would find out where to get a real tree for Ivan. The window opposite his bed was already open, his bike leaned against the wall beside it. He looked at the items in his hand, making sure he had everything he needed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Five nickels from his coin jar, a rusty old nail he had taken from the wooden beams in his house (One nail couldn’t be </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> important, right?), and a snail Alfred had found crawling along the gutters. Granny had said he needed a great-great-grandfather snail, but Alfred didn’t know how to determine the snail’s age. He hoped the snail was old enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gathering his bravery, he shoved the items into his pocket and began to walk towards the window. He was actually going to leave the town walls tonight. He was going to be the hero, a knight in shining armor, going on a dangerous quest to get Ivan a real tree. God, Ivan would think he was such a badass if he knew Alfred was actually leaving the town walls. No one ever left town. Alfred grinned, filled with determination, and hopped onto his bike.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riding through the city streets at night was a lot different than during the day. The town was coated in darkness, and everything felt far more eerie than it should. The only sounds were the mechanical whirring and clunking of the factories in town. The noises were far too loud without the clamor of the townspeople to cover them up. Alfred shuddered and continued to bike through the alleyways, making his way to the edge of town. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he had reached the wall, he stopped for a moment and looked up. The wall was tall, made of sturdy metal, a dark steel. It was certainly intimidating, with no visible means of passing through it. Alfred didn’t know if it was meant to keep people in, or out. He chewed on his lip nervously as he scanned the wall for anything that would help him get past it. He wasn’t going to be able to get Ivan a tree if he couldn’t. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, his eyes landed on a panel placed just slightly taller than him on the wall. He walked over to it, eyes skimming across the letters painted in a bold red: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Authorized Personnel Only</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Alfred dragged his fingertips across the cool metal, feeling the seam where the panel had been hastily welded to the wall. It wasn’t too difficult to wrench the metal plate open, revealing a large red button with fine white print beneath it. There wasn’t enough light to properly read the print, so Alfred decided the best course of action was to press the large button, and see what would happen. He pushed the large button in, and there was an awful, metallic sound coming from inside the wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred stepped back, and looked at the wall expectantly, but for a few moments, nothing happened. He had just stepped forward to press the button a second time when he heard a grinding screech, and a large metal plate sprung out of the wall, just at waist level. He turned his head up and watched as more metal plates pushed out of the wall, winding up to create a staircase. At the very top, a slightly larger platform emerged, just underneath a door Alfred had not realized was on the wall until now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grabbed his bike, heaved it onto the stairs, and began to ride up to the door at the top. Pinned to the door, there was a sign with the word “exit” painted across it. Alfred tentatively grasped the door handle. This was it. He had found the way out of town. He took a deep breath in, before pushing the door open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The metal door creaked open to reveal a large, maze like room, shrouded in darkness. He hopped back onto his bike, and began to slowly make his way down the winding pathways, careful not to fall off. Just below the paths were channels, full of inky, black water, with an uncanny thickness. Pipes protruding from the wall pumped more of the viscous liquid into the canals, and the sound of the thick liquid moving beneath him made his stomach churn. It didn’t help that the lighting was so dim he was unable to see more than ten feet in front of him, and the room smelled vaguely of garbage and sewer water. The air was dense, and he had difficulty filling his lungs with enough oxygen when he took a breath in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily, he had almost made it across the winding path through the inside of the wall, just a few feet from the opening at the other end. It was a small door frame, and you could see the dim light of the outside peeking through it.  Once he finally made it to the end, he eagerly stepped through the small doorframe. It was his channel to the outside, fresh air, and the Once-ler. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, as bad as the maze inside of the wall was, nothing could have prepared him for what he saw on the other side of the metal wall that surrounded Thneedville. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took one step outside and stopped for a moment, shocked. It was just as difficult to breath outside the wall as it was inside the canals full of gloop and pollution. The air was still, and tasted of smog. The landscape was miserable, everything coated in a gray haze. The earth beneath his feet was cracked and dry, littered with wisps of dead grass and flowers. There was a single river in sight, and it seemed to cut through the hills harshly, the water in it a murky black. The worst part of the landscape, however, was that you could just barely see the hills, covered in tree stumps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alfred swallowed hard. He wished that the haze was just a little bit thicker, so he wasn’t able to see the millions of broken trees scattered across the land. There was something unnerving about seeing it all, a land devoid of life. He took a deep breath in, absolutely horrified at the state of the land. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nevertheless, he had to continue. He had to find the Once-ler, and retrieve a tree for Ivan. He had already come this far, he wasn’t going to back down now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just beneath his feet, there was an old pathway made of stone, winding out and away from the town. He breathed out his nose, and began to ride down the path, in the hopes it would lead him to the Once-ler. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry this update took a bit longer! Online school started, and I've been a bit overwhelmed with work lately. However, now I've kind of gotten into the groove of online work, so hopefully I'll be able to update more often. (I'm looking to finish this entire fic by the end of September, but we'll see how that goes lol).<br/>Once again, thank you for reading! If you liked it, please consider leaving a Kudos or comment!<br/>&lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! If you liked the story, please leave kudos, and leave any feedback you want in the comments!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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